Terpenes Spotlight: Humulene
If you’re reading the Sunset Lake Cannabis blog, you’re probably at least a little familiar with terpenes and are looking to learn more. But before we jump right into Humulene, we’ll give a quick summary of the multitude of aromatic compounds called terpenes that cannabis produces in addition to over 100 cannabinoids. You may already be a little familiar with humulene if you’re a beer drinker - humulene is also present in hops! This means that the hazy Vermont IPA that we all know and love owes a tiny bit of its success to the terpene humulene.
In this post, we’ll cover,
What humulene is
Where you can find humulene in plants and in consumer products,
And, what potential benefits humulene might offer
Hops are rich in terpenes including humulene and myrcene!
What Are Terpenes?
Terpenes are a diverse grouping of organic compounds found in a wide variety of plants, fruits, flowers, herbs, and even some animals. They are primarily responsible for the aroma of many plants. For example, cinnamon is rich in beta-caryophyllene, a terpene thought to have calming properties. Think about all the warm, soothing winter comfort foods that contain cinnamon - beta-caryophyllene may be part of why we find them so comforting!
Terpenes also play a crucial role in a plant’s self-defense by deterring pests and herbivores, while simultaneously attracting pollinators. (1) Terpenes give cannabis flowers an extremely bitter taste which deters deer and other would-be consumers.
The cosmetic and food industries put terpenes in their products for aroma and taste. If you go into your bathroom right now, you’ll likely find a skincare product or a scented cleaning product that contains some form of terpene. Terpenes you’ve likely encountered include:
Citrus fruits that contain limonene
Nutmeg and cumin contain good amounts of terpinolene
Mangoes that contain myrcene
While people been using terpenes for centuries, researchers are just now beginning to find out about the potential health benefits which we’ll mention later in this post.
What Is Humulene?
Humulene, also known as alpha-humulene (α-humulene) is a sesquiterpene commonly found in hops, also known as Humulus lupulus meaning “Little Wolf” in Latin. Humulene is known for its earthy, woody scent and its bitter flavor. Sound familiar? Humulene lends its scent and some taste to your favorite hazy Vermont IPA!
You can also find humulene in several other plants like sage, ginger, ginseng, and of course cannabis & hemp. As a molecule, humulene is technically an isomer of beta-caryophyllene, and the two are very commonly found together in many plants.
Fun Fact: Humulus lupulus (hops) and cannabis are both members of the Cannabaceae family making them close cousins. Some homebrewers have managed to brew beer using cannabis flowers instead of hops!
What Is Humulene Used For?
You’ll commonly find humulene in products like hazy Vermont IPAs and other hoppy beers, some cosmetic products, and in some herbal teas— not to mention sungrown Vermont cannabis flower.
Aside from modulating the cannabis and THC experience, many therapeutic-grade essential oils used for aromatherapy contain humulene. Traditional Chinese Medicine uses humulene for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.
What We Might Use It For…
Because humulene and terpenes in general have recently taken center stage in cannabis and health science, some studies into humulene have yielded some interesting results. It’s important to note that while the research cited here is exciting, much more research is needed to know if humulene can reliably be used for these purposes.
Inflammation
Researchers in the UK sprayed humulene both on and in mice and concluded that it is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Its efficacy is near that of dexamethasone, a steroid used to treat arthritis and other forms of inflammation. (2)
Anti-Bacterial
A study published in 2006 found that Balsam-fir essential oil, containing a high concentration of terpenes including humulene and pinene, was effective at fighting the staphylococcus aureus bacteria, also known as staph. (3)
Immune System Support
A Japanese study found that humulene promoted the secretion of the IL-8 protein, known for its role in recruiting the body's immune cells to the site of an infection. (4)
Sleep & Relaxation
While the jury is still out, hops have been used for centuries as a sleep aid. Folk remedies for relaxation and sleep often feature hops in tea blends. Some traditions even put a little pouch of hops underneath a person’s pillow, allowing them to inhale the terpenes while they rest. Some of the mild sedative properties from hops may be from two of their prominent terpenes: humulene and myrcene. (5)
Sunset Lake Cannabis Cultivars Featuring Humulene
Here at the Sunset Lake Cannabis farm, we know that growing cannabis outdoors has been shown to increase terpene production in the flowers versus growing indoors. Plus, sungrown cultivation reduces the environmental impact by eliminating the need for costly grow lights.
After we harvest our sungrown Vermont weed, we then carefully cure and process our flower to retain as many beneficial terpenes as possible.
In 2024, many of our cultivars had humulene as one of the top three terpenes:
Jelly Donutz: 0.45%
Hella Jelly: 0.34%
Private Party: 0.26%
Poddy Mouth: 0.24%
Note that third-party labs report terpenes on a by-weight basis.
Sources:
Divekar, Pratap Adinath et al. “Plant Secondary Metabolites as Defense Tools against Herbivores for Sustainable Crop Protection.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 23,5 2690. 28 Feb. 2022, doi:10.3390/ijms23052690
Rogerio, Alexandre P et al. “Preventive and therapeutic anti-inflammatory properties of the sesquiterpene alpha-humulene in experimental airways allergic inflammation.” British journal of pharmacology vol. 158,4 (2009): 1074-87. doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.2009.00177.x
Pichette, André et al. “Composition and antibacterial activity of Abies balsamea essential oil.” Phytotherapy research : PTR vol. 20,5 (2006): 371-3. doi:10.1002/ptr.1863
Satsu, Hideo et al. “Regulation of interleukin-8 secretion in human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells by alpha-humulene.” BioFactors (Oxford, England) vol. 21,1-4 (2004): 137-9. doi:10.1002/biof.552210127
Freedman, A. (2021). Terpenes for Well-Being: A Comprehensive Guide to Terpenes for Emotional and Physical Self Care. Mango. p.45
